Month: July 2023

Maine Governor Signs Bill Allowing Access to Late-Term Abortions

Susan Berry, PhD

Maine Governor Janet Mills (D) signed a bill into law Wednesday that expanded access to abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, making the state one of the least restrictive in the nation when it comes to ending the lives of unborn babies.

LD 1619, dubbed “An Act to Improve Maine’s Reproductive Privacy Laws,” states an abortion may be performed “after viability,” i.e. when the unborn baby can survive independently outside his or her mother’s womb, “when the abortion is necessary in the professional judgment of a licensed physician.”

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Tennessee Department of Health Engages in Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign

Peter D'Abrosca

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH) will work with local leaders to support the Red Sand Project between July 25 and 31.

‘’Human trafficking is a hidden crime in our state and across the country because victims rarely come forward to receive help or services,’’ said Tennessee Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP. ‘’It’s up to all of us to bring an end to the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The Red Sand Project reminds us how crucial it is for communities, both urban and rural, to engage in awareness and education activities that support survivors of human trafficking and strengthen our prevention efforts.”

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Wisconsin Congressman Scott Fitzgerald Introduces Bill Taking on National Education Association’s Political Clout

M.D. Kittle

U.S. Representative Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05) introduced a bill that would check the power of the National Education Association (NEA).

The Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today (STUDENT) Act aims to reform the NEA’s federal charter and “rededicate the organization to the pursuit of increased student learning and quality education in schools across America,” according to the congressman.

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Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley Says IRS Whistleblower Testimony in Hunter Biden Probe Shows ‘Two-Track’ System of Justice

M.D. Kittle

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says Wednesday’s testimony from two Internal Revenue Service whistleblowers alleging political interference in the Hunter Biden criminal probe underscores the “two-track” system of justice in America.

Meanwhile, the Iowa senator is leading a group of Republican senators demanding the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation protect whistleblowers who disclosed records alleging a criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national.

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Minnesota Union Rescinds Endorsement of DFL Legislator Who Is Also Regional Planned Parenthood Executive

Admin

A metro area DFL legislator who is also the CEO for the regional Planned Parenthood chapter based in the Twin Cities is continuing to navigate rough waters in her day job.

Ruth Richardson was named the top executive of the Planned Parenthood North Central States chapter in September 2022 — just weeks before she was re-elected to the Minnesota House to represent the southeast metro suburbs of Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake and part of Eagan. Her recent appointment as CEO of the most powerful abortion rights lobby organization in the upper Midwest drew criticism from some conservatives in Minnesota political circles who suggested a state legislator shouldn’t also lead such an organization because of inevitable conflicts of interest she would face in votes at the Capitol.

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Virginia Ends Previous School Transgender Policies, Now Requires Parent OK to Student Pronoun Change

Just the News

The Virginia Education Department announced new model policies regarding the treatment of transgender students in the state’s public schools in guidance that separates students by biological sex and gives parents the sole authority to change their children’s names and pronouns in school.

The policies, released Tuesday, deliver on a significant campaign promise from Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to promote parents’ rights, as the guiding principles of the policies emphasize respecting all students and giving parents priority in making decisions for their children.

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Florida to Spend $65 Million for Alzheimer’s, Dementia Care

The Center Square

Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez says the $65 million appropriated by the Legislature will help Alzheimer’s and dementia patients with technology and resources.

Florida is home to more than 4.4 million people 65 and older, making up over 20% of the population. Because of this, Nuñez said at a news conference in Ocala on Wednesday that it has been a priority of leadership to make sure Floridians have the opportunity to live long, secure lives, and funding for Alzheimer’s and dementia will help achieve that.

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Former Arizona State Representative Shawnna Bolick to Fill Vacant Senate Seat

Hannah Poling
Shawnna Bolick

On Wednesday the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected former Arizona House of Representative member Republican Shawnna Bolick to fill a seat in the State Senate for Legislative District 2 which represents areas of north Phoenix.

This follows former Republican Senator Steve Kaiser resigning last month to run a nonprofit policy group that he founded to support the Republican majority at the Arizona Legislature.

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Frank LaRose Widens Lead in Ohio Senate Primary Poll

Hannah Poling

Newly declared candidate for the U.S. Senate, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, widened his lead in the race to unseat Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024 in a new poll conducted by Louisiana-based Causeway Solutions for Leadership for Ohio Fund.

The poll obtained by the Washington Examiner details that among Republican primary voters surveyed, LaRose is leading the three-way race by 17 points up from a 13-point advantage in a previous statewide survey conducted in May.

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Connecticut Governor Signs into Law Four Bills Protecting Access to Abortion, Contraception, and Transgender Medical Treatments

Susan Berry, PhD

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D) signed into law a series of bills Wednesday that seeks to protect abortion rights and access to both contraception and college students’ transgender drugs and surgeries.

In an official statement, Lamont also noted the new Connecticut laws counter those in Republican-led states that have sought to protect unborn life from abortion, and teens from life-altering transgender drugs and surgeries.

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Phoenix Asks Judge for More Time to Clear ‘The Zone’ as Most Residents Remain

Tom Pappert

City officials asked a Maricopa County judge for more time to finish clearing “The Zone,” and revealed that its plan to clear the homeless camp will conclude in another 9 months, even as the majority of the camp’s residents remain.

Phoenix officials were in court again this week as attorneys representing local business owners and residents claimed the city was taking too long to clear the homeless encampment, which has reportedly decreased in population by about 300 residents since the city was ordered to clear it in March. About 1,000 people were reported to reside in “The Zone” at its peak, and so far about 300 people have been relocated.

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State Lawmaker: State Unlikely to Take Up Atlanta’s Grade Crossing Request

The Center Square

Atlanta officials want state lawmakers to punish railroads for blocking grade crossings, but a leading state lawmaker says there is nothing the state can do.

The Atlanta City Council’s Transportation Committee passed a measure to advocate for punishing railroads that block grade crossings for prolonged periods. The measure, which the city council will consider the measure during its Aug. 7 meeting, calls on the Georgia General Assembly and Congress to pass legislation limiting how long freight trains can block a grade crossing.

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Obama-Appointed Judge Awards $122,200 in Sanctions Against Kari Lake’s Attorneys for Lawsuit over Voting Machine Tabulators

Rachel Alexander

U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi, who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, awarded sanctions in December against Kari Lake’s and Mark Finchem’s attorneys over their lawsuit against electronic voting machine tabulators in December. In his July 14 order, he emphasized that the sanctions are to be used “only in the most egregious situations” and as a “deterrent” to others who might be considering similar lawsuits.
Lake addressed the sanctions during an interview Wednesday on The Colonel of Truth. “I sued to get rid of the machines in Arizona about a year before the election,” she said. “No, actually, I’m sorry. About six months. An Obama judge threw the case out, tried to sanction our attorneys. We took it to the 9th Circuit. They’re sanctioning our attorneys. I tried to prevent the disaster of voting machines with this lawsuit BEFORE the election. We get to the election, the machines break down & they’re saying ‘you shouldn’t have bought it.’”

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Iraq Summons U.S. Ambassador over State Department Comments on Treatment of Catholic Priest

Admin

The Iraqi government called U.S. Ambassador Alina Romanowski to Baghdad after the State Department made critical remarks about the government’s dismissal of a Vatican-appointed bishop, according to Reuters.

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid recently rescinded a decree recognizing Cardinal Louis Sako the head of the Chaldean Catholic church in Iraq and all of its assets, claiming that no other state entity should appoint religious leaders in Iraq, according to Reuters. Rashid called Romanowski to Baghdad Wednesday after  State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. was disturbed by the Iraqi government’s decision.

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Biden Announces First Offshore Wind Lease in Gulf of Mexico

Admin

President Joe Biden will announce the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico at an event Thursday afternoon to promote his administration’s economic agenda, according to the White House.

The lease will be spread across three areas, one roughly 100,000 acre area offshore of Lake Charles, Louisiana and two areas totaling roughly 200,000 acres offshore of Galveston, Texas, according to the White House. While the administration has previously held sales for offshore wind leases off the coasts of New York, the Carolinas and California, and is considering several additional projects off the east coast, the Gulf of Mexico sale — scheduled for August 29 — represents the first federal lease in the region.

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Commentary: Loan Forgiveness Hurts Taxpayers

Admin

A few weeks ago, I argued the Biden Administration would use the new SAVE plan to enact student loan forgiveness with or without the approval of the Supreme Court. Since then, the administration has announced details which highlight the SAVE plan offers even more generous forgiveness terms.

This talk about student loans has brought about a question for Ask an Economist this week. Garrett from Ohio says,“One of the most prominent arguments against student loan forgiveness is that the borrowers are forcing the greater population to pay off their debts for them.

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Music Spotlight: The Dryes

Bethany Bowman

The Dryes are a married, musical couple from North Carolina. I first heard of Katelyn and Derek Drye when they were featured in the Duke Spirits Masters Music Series. However, their biggest claim to fame was when they shared their extraordinary chemistry while performing on NBC’s The Voice. Their cover of Kenny and Dolly’s “Islands in the Stream” garnered them a spot on Blake’s team in 2022.

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FBI Informant Told Agents Hunter Biden Hired by Burisma to ‘Protect’ Ukrainian Firm from ‘Problems’

Just the News

A trusted FBI informant told agents in 2020 that Hunter Biden was hired by a Ukrainian energy company dealing with corruption allegations during his father’s vice presidency to help “protect” Burisma Holdings from problems including an effort to “take care of'” a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating the company for corruption, according to an explosive document released by Sen. Charles Grassley on Thursday.

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Poll: Vivek Ramaswamy Ties Ron DeSantis for Second in GOP Presidential Race

Admin

Florida Politics A new survey of the 2024 Republican presidential race finds a dead heat for second place. The survey from Kaplan Strategies shows Gov. Ron DeSantis and businessman Vivek G. Ramaswamy are tied at 12% each. Both men are well behind Donald Trump’s 48%. The pollster says this latest survey is an example of Vivek-mentum. READ THE FULL STORY    

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Nashville’s Top Republican Candidate for Mayor Alice Rolli on Her Surge in the Polls as Early Voting is Underway

Tennessee Star Staff

As the Nashville mayoral election cycle heats up and early voting has begun, leading Republican candidate Alice Rolli joins The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy in-studio on Thursday to discuss her campaign up until now and her plans for Music City.  TRANSCRIPT Michael Patrick Leahy: 6:06 a.m.; broadcasting live from our studios on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee; it’s Thursday, July 20th, 2023. We are delighted to welcome to our microphones for the full hour Alice Rolli, who is a candidate for mayor of Nashville-Davidson County. And Alice, the momentum of your campaign is really moving. You know, when you first came in here, I thought, well it’s gonna be hard for a Republican to do well – but you had a particular strategy and your advertisement is on Fox News. You’re doing some advertisement with us here, on this station, and you’re reaching out to the conservatives, and it seems to be doing very well. I saw the recent poll. You’re in third place and rising 20 percent for Freddie O’Connell, 15 percent for Matt Wilshire, 13 percent for you. Of course, margin of error, is about 4 percent. These polls are not exactly done by national…

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Roger Simon Shares Insider Details from His New Interview of RFKJr: ‘He’s a Complicated and Intelligent Man’

Tennessee Star Staff

Roger Simon – Epoch Times columnist and creator of the interview series “The Presidential Roller Coaster” – joined The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy Thursday to share new details about his latest interview with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  TRANSCRIPT Michael Patrick Leahy: Good morning, Nashville. It is 7:06 AM; we are broadcasting live from our studios on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee; it is Thursday, July 20th, 2023. We are delighted – capital “D” – Delighted to welcome to Roger Simon:  And neon, I hope? Michael Patrick Leahy: We are delighted to welcome to our microphones, our very good friend, my former boss at PJTV. We’ve known each other now for 14 years. We were teenagers when we, Roger Simon: Isn’t it more than that? Well it feels like more Michael Patrick Leahy: Yes – feels like more– Also Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, novelist about to have a new book come out, and also, depending on the day, the most read columnist at the Epoch Times. Senior editor there, Mr. Roger Simon. Good morning, Roger. Roger Simon: Good morning, Michael. Michael Patrick Leahy: I’ve been looking forward to this because, you know, you’ve got this thing going on…

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Tennessee Department of Education Releases District-Level TCAP Results

TC Weber

The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) released the 2022-23 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) district-level results. TCAP provides insight into how school districts are performing across the state.

TDOE reported 68 out of 141 public school districts had 38.7 percent of students’ scores “met expectations” or “exceeded expectations” across all grades and subjects tested. An additional 19 districts reported 50 percent of students scored in the “met” or “exceeded” categories. Only nine districts failed to increase overall proficiency rates compared to last school year, while 107 increased those rates compared to the 2019-20 school year.

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As White House Limits Access to Press Briefings, Daily Signal Reporter Loses Credentials

Admin

Two weeks from now, The Daily Signal’s chief news correspondent, Fred Lucas, will lose his White House press credentials. It’s the latest—and perhaps most brazen—attempt by President Joe Biden to limit media access to what he regularly calls “the People’s House.”

The White House Press Office will implement new rules July 31, when all “hard passes” expire. Lucas, holder of a hard pass since 2009, no longer will be able to easily attend White House press briefings or access the sprawling Pennsylvania Avenue campus—as he has done for the past 14 years.

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Former New Hampshire House Democrat Appears to Admit Having Sex with Children in Text

Admin

Former Nashua Democratic State Rep. Stacie Laughton talked about raping children and appears to admit having committed the crime in the past, according to the federal complaint filed this week.

“I was asking because I know we’ve had some back-and-forth, and I know we initially said we do nothing with kids ever again, and you said you were afraid that if we had kids if they would go back and tell the parents the same with the kids you work with,” Laughton texted to lover and co-defendant, Lindsay Groves.

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Senators Criticize CDC for ‘Chestfeeding’ Guidance: ‘Driven by Political Considerations Rather than Science’

Susan Berry, PhD

U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) wrote Tuesday to Mandy Cohen, M.D., the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), demanding answers for the health agency’s recent guidance on transgender ‘chestfeeding,” a practice, the senators say, that poses health and safety risks for newborns.

The senators, both physicians, highlighted in the letter their “serious concern” regarding CDC’s “guidance for “biological men who identify as women (transgender individual) who wish to breastfeed.”

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Tennessee AG Skrmetti Joins New Initiative Attempting to Crack Down on Illegal Telemarketing Calls

Kaitlin Housler

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Tuesday his office has joined a new, joint state and federal initiative to crack down on illegal telemarketing calls to U.S. consumers.

Skrmetti’s office joined the Operation Stop Scam Calls intuitive, a partnership with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), law enforcement agencies nationwide, and attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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Arizona Lawmakers Hold First Committee Hearing Investigating Free Speech at State Public Universities

Hannah Poling

Republican lawmakers led the first legislative committee hearing on Tuesday to investigate the freedom of speech in Arizona’s public universities and to look into the events surrounding a program titled “Health, Wealth and Happiness,” presented by Arizona State University (ASU)‘s T.W. Lewis Center.

The formation of the committee follows officials at ASU allegedly firing university administrator and director of the T.W. Lewis Center, Ann Atkinson, for bringing conservative speakers Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk onto campus earlier this year for the “Health, Wealth and Happiness” program which focused on professional development and networking.

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Program Continues to Support International Expansion of Virginia Companies

The Center Square

Eleven companies graduated, and 13 joined Virginia Leaders in Export Trade on Thursday, a two-year Virginia Economic Development Partnership program representing 12 counties and eight independent cities across the commonwealth.

Only 25 companies are accepted into the VALET program each year, and 375 have graduated since it was established in the late 90s. Candidate organizations must demonstrate “firmly established domestic operations” and “[commitment] to international exporting as a growth strategy” to be accepted into the program, according to a press release from VEDP.

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Study: Hard Decisions, Not Tax Increases, Needed for Pittsburgh Public Transit

The Center Square

The relatively high cost of Pittsburgh’s bus and light-rail operations means that, in the near future, Allegheny County officials must choose between raising taxes to fund it or find a way to cut costs.

So argues the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy’s Research Director Eric Montarti and research assistant Scott T. Cross in a policy brief advocating for “hard decisions” to be made instead of raising county taxes and fees.

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Republican Lawmakers Pitch Constitutional Amendment to Keep Wisconsin Churches Open

The Center Square

Wisconsin Republicans want to make sure churches in the state are kept open during the next emergency.

State Sen Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee, along with Rep. Ty Bodden, R-Hilbert, and Rep. Karen Hurd, R-Fall Creek, took a proposed constitutional amendment to a Senate committee on Tuesday. If the amendment becomes law, it would stop public health managers from closing churches.

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GOP Presidential Hopeful Doug Burgum Rises in New Granite State Poll, Celebrates Donation Count

M.D. Kittle

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum sees his presidential prospects rising following the release of a new Granite State poll.

The GOP presidential hopeful, who is barely showing up in national polls, garnered 6 percent support in the University of New Hampshire’s latest poll of likely Granite State primary voters. That’s good for a fourth-place showing.

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Georgia Works to Improve Voter Rolls as State Exposes Fulton County 2020 Election Audit Errors

Just the News

As more issues arise from the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County, Georgia is taking steps to better secure its future elections through cleaning its voter rolls.

According to state investigators, the county’s audit of the most recent presidential election included multiple errors but the overall outcome of the audit did not change.

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University of Minnesota Axes Legacy Admissions After SCOTUS Block of Affirmative Action

Admin

The University of Minnesota is ditching legacy admissions, a mechanism by which children of alumni get preferential treatment within the admissions process, following a Supreme Court ruling that blocked the use of race-based affirmative action policies, a university spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The Supreme Court ruled in June that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina’s affirmative action admissions policies were unconstitutional. In light of the ruling, the University of Minnesota decided it will no longer consider race, ethnicity, legacy or employment in its admissions process, a university spokesperson told the DCNF.

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Commentary: The Way AI Fits into Broadly Rising Anti-Humanism

RealClearWire

The future of humanity is becoming ever less human. The astounding capabilities of ChatGPT and other forms of artificial intelligence have triggered fears about the coming age of machines leaving little place for human creativity or employment. Even the architects of this brave new world are sounding the alarm. Sam Altman, chairman and CEO of OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT, recently warned that artificial intelligence poses an “existential risk” to humanity and warned Congress that artificial intelligence “can go quite wrong.”  

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Ohio Senate Candidate Calls Potential Trump Indictment ‘Vile’

Hannah Poling

Ohio Republican politician and businessman Bernie Moreno says that another potential indictment against former President and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump is “nothing more than another vile attempt by Team Biden to target their leading political opponent.”

According to a statement from President Trump on Tuesday, he received a letter from the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicating he will be arrested and indicated for the events surrounding the January 6th, 2021 riot at the Capital.

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Arizona Attorney General Strikes Down Superintendent Horne’s Dual Language Ban

The Center Square

Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Monday that the Arizona Department of Education cannot stop funding schools because of their choice to teach English language learners with dual language programs.

“Only those school districts and charter schools found by the Board to be noncompliant are barred from receiving monies from the English language learner fund,” Mayes wrote in her opinion.

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Ohio Representative Young Says There Is ‘Inaccurate and Unfair Speculation’ Regarding His Alleged Domestic Violence Charges

Hannah Poling

Ohio State Representative Bob Young (R-Green) said there has been “inaccurate and unfair speculation” regarding an incident that allegedly occurred earlier this month resulting in domestic violence charges.

“Following the unfortunate events of July 7th, there has been some inaccurate and unfair speculation on social media and elsewhere. This is a case that’s in the courts now, so I can’t talk about the details. However, I can say this: no one is above the law, and that includes me. I expect to be treated in the same way as any other Summit County resident would be in a similar circumstance. I ask fair-minded people for grace to allow my family and I to deal with this privately and to reserve judgment until all the facts can be brought to light,” Young said.

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In-N-Out Burger Requires Employees to Get Doctor’s Note to Wear Mask

Just the News

In-N-Out Burger, the California-based fast food chain, will ban employees from wearing masks at locations in five states unless they provide a doctor’s note, a customer service representative for the company said.

Starting Aug. 14, employees at In-N-Out locations in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah will be unable to wear masks without a medical note, according to company emails leaked on social media last week. Employees who do choose to wear a facial covering will be provided N-95 masks from the company.

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Commentary: Presidential Dr. Fauci Still on a Roll

Admin

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who allegedly retired in January, still receives a limo driver and security team of U.S. Marshals, documents obtained by Fox News through a FOIA request reveal. “The only retired official I know of that gets this kind of treatment is a former president,” said Sen. Rand Paul. “I have no idea why this bureaucrat still has a limo driver security detail.”

Maybe it’s because, as Joe Biden once quipped, Dr. Fauci is the real president. Now comes word that many of his actions as NIAID boss were illegitimate.

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Border Patrol Sees Massive Surge in Illegal Migrants on Terror Watchlist

Admin

Border Patrol has arrested 143 illegal migrants on the terror watchlist in fiscal year 2023, surpassing 2022’s total by roughly 25%, according to federal data updated Tuesday.

In all of fiscal year 2022, Border Patrol nabbed 98 individuals whose names appeared on the terror watchlist, according to the data. The data include both southern and northern border apprehensions of individuals on the terror watchlist.

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California Adds Missouri, Nebraska, Wyoming to Those Banned for State-Paid Travel, over LGBTQ+ Bills

Just the News

California is adding Missouri, Nebraska and Wyoming to its list of states to which government-paid travel is restricted, over legislation considered to be anti-LGBTQ+.

A 2016 California law banned state-funded travel to any state determined by the California Justice Department to be discriminatory against the LGBTQ community. And state Attorney General Rob Bonta must maintain and post a list of such states whose total numbers is now at or nearing 26, according to The Center Square.

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